I saw Closer tonight, which I thought was extremely well written. It’s one of those films I could tell was adapted from a play, which made it better. Of course, I love dialogue films, so I’m biased (but that’s why you’re reading this). I think I was most surprised at how often I laughed, considering the dour themes and crumbling love lives, deceit and verbal evisceration. However… However. Rumors of a topless Natalie Portman have been greatly exaggerated. If I missed them (and believe me, I was looking for them, desperately) I’ll watch it again. Don’t get me wrong, you see quite a bit of her, and she is just so desirable it’ll confirm your faith in God and screenwriters.
On a related note, I can also see why there’s a ground swell of support for Clive Owen as the new James Bond. While a tremendously different genre, he came across as powerful, sharp, dark. Jude Law has reportedly stated he’s not interested in the role, and just as well. I do like his work, and I think he’d do a fine job, but Clive would do better.
All posts by archangel
Sony’s PS2 History Eraser Button
Ok, most know I don’t care for Sony products. If they work, they’re decent, but I and several friends have found they break all too often.
Sony’s decided to build on that success. c|net has an article about a recent Sony demo disk for PS2s that can erase your memory card, wiping out your saved games.
IT Personality Test
If you’re not sure where you fit in the information technology circus, here’s a little quiz to help place you. It basically is a short career placement test based on your strengths (or perceived strengths). It didn’t tell me anything I didn’t already know, but if you’re fairly new to IT, or are considering a change, it could be useful. Either way, it only takes a minute.
Get Behind Me, Comment Spam
I’ve recently been attacked by comment spammers. This is where they post comments in your blog that advertise a product. The goal isn’t to get you to buy said product, it’s to increase their pagerank on Google (although a few might not be smart enough to realize this). It’s very annoying, and removing comments with Movable Type (MT), the software that runs this blog, is like a 5-click process (per comment!).
This is why I am weeping with joy over MT-Blacklist. Since the evil, scum-sucking spammers want to increase their pagerank, they must use the same site name, which becomes the chink in their armor. You can now add that to your Blacklist and have it automatically blocked. Furthermore, a centralized collection agent processes MT comment notification emails, so users can forward spam to the list and have it automatically added to the master blacklist. Unfortunately, that part is down for reasons explained on the site (Perl hacker needed to optimize the collector; I’d consider it if I had the time). So for now, you have to update your own list, but some nifty catch-alls help out a lot. Like if you wanted to comment about any drugs that enhance your bait and tackle, you’d have to email me directly… and immediately.
It gets even better! The plugin is really easy to install. And if it doesn’t block something, you can add it after the fact, and it will back-check your comments! It shows you what it’s about to delete, and even automatically rebuilds the site for you (although you can uncheck that box if you want).
Thank you MT-Blacklist. Thank you.
37 Degrees!
Fahrenheit! In Westminster! That’s Southern California. If anyone needs glass cut, my nipples are available.
Yes, I know it’s colder where you are. A preemptive shhh.
Top 10 Geekiest Hobbies
The Wave Magazine has an article on the top 10 geekiest hobbies. I’m guilty of #10 and #9, so I’m not too far gone, or so I tell myself. The article helpfully provides statistics on each hobby’s capacity for public humiliation and its affect on your sex life. On that note, I wonder how I’d look in big bear costume…
Magic Missiles Attack the Darkness
Some years ago, The Dead Alewives created a skit poking fun at those who play Dungeons and Dragons, as well as those who believe the game is dangerous. While The Dead Alewives seem to have disappeared, the skit remains the most beloved piece of D&D humor ever created (Jeremy Irons in Dungeons and Dragons not withstanding). The skit has also inspired a few videos to go along with the audio (although they only cover Part I). Highly recommended to any current or recovering players.
Tough Times at Target
They’re really becoming service oriented.
KMFDM: 20 Years of Glorious Self-Absorption
On Monday I got to see KMDFM on their 20th Anniversary Tour at the House of Blues in Anaheim (continuing the industrial/metal onslaught on Disneyland – Skinny Puppy is up next!). For the uninitiated, they’re basically one of the greatest industrial bands of all time. Very hard, consistent, and fun, one of their trademarks is including their name in their songs. A lot. It’s that kind of self-absorption I can really respect. I like people who recognize how awesome they are.
     Overall, they rocked hard. The first part of the set seemed to concentrate on the later stuff; either that or I’m getting senile. I haven’t been up on the last few albums, like ATTAK and WWIII; the last I can recall was ADIOS, so it’s been about 5 years. But when they did Light, the crowd was electrified, and I found I’m definitely not the only one who thinks ANGST was their best. They followed that with Drug Against War, which also rocked the house, but the house appeared to be getting tired by then (the house is not getting any younger). However, the absence of En Esch meant a lot of KMFDM classics had to be cut. This was a serious disappointment, especially for a 20th anniversary tour, where I was expecting a great big “best of”.
     The lineup they did have was solid, though. Sascha was there, of course, the only original left. Jules Hodgson, Andy Selway, and Steve White all did a fine job. The fun, new addition, though, is Lucia Cifarelli, who does all the female vocals. From the back of the club, she looked like a white Salma Hayek. She went from sexy gyrations to tough girl stances, marching and pumping her fist to command the ground troops. Three words. So. Fucking. Adorable. Just something about cute girls trying to act tough that makes them even cuter. I wanted to take her home and put her on display in the living room. She also got the biggest cheers of the night when she walked out after the first encore. We all figured that was it, and were kinda tired, but when she asked for applause – and flashed her silver wonderbra – we all went nuts. As it should be.
     The club itself was decent, and I loved how easy it was to get to, especially in OC. But the vocals were not very clear, and if I didn’t know them already, they were very difficult to make out. Since KMFDM’s lyrics are one their strong suits, this was a letdown. DJ?Acucrack, who opened, also had muddled vocals. Maybe it’s the vocoder, maybe the equipment, but I wanted better. To be fair, I did like what they were spinning, and you can check some of it out at their site.
     One of the stranger parts of the experience was the crowd. No, not industrialites in uniform, but the lack thereof! I’m not sure who wins the “most out-of-place” award: the guy in the Cowboys jersey and baseball cap, or the nerdy Asian guy with the white and beige polo shirt, khakis, and black dress shoes. Who am I kidding, the Asian guy wins! I didn’t do much myself, but come on, this is KMFDM. Show some damn respect.
The Counteroffer
Businessweek has a good article that explains why you should avoid accepting a counteroffer from your current employer. By “good”, I mean it agrees with what I have been saying for years, because I’m wise like that. I’ve heard bosses express that, sometimes, they feel like you’re holding a gun to their head in order to get a raise. The article has several other good reasons, too.